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Meeting the renewable energy challenge
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

Meeting the renewable energy challenge

The proportion of electricity generated by renewables in Britain hit a new record high in 2025. But there is still a big gap between where we are now and the Government’s target of 95% of electricity generated from non-fossil fuels by 2030 – just four years away.

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Farms in fight to stay viable warns Minette Batters
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

Farms in fight to stay viable warns Minette Batters

Former NFU President Minette Batters deliberately and sensibly concentrated on core agricultural practices in her detailed and extremely well-researched Farm Profitability Review, commissioned by the Government last April and finally published on Thursday December 18th.

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Trump on wind - will it all blow over?
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

Trump on wind - will it all blow over?

Donald Trump’s views on renewable energy and his support for the continued use of fossil fuels are well-known. 

But expressing those highly negative views in Scotland, which hosts a significant number of wind turbines generating electricity for the UK, has added new impetus to the debate on the visual impact and effectiveness of wind power and renewables more generally.

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CLA Rural Business Conference 2024
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

CLA Rural Business Conference 2024

Environment Secretary Steve Reed has accepted he owes landowners an explanation for The Labour Government’s decision to scrap 100% to agricultural inheritance tax relief after promising a year ago there would be ‘no change.’

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Sending out the wrong message to farmers
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

Sending out the wrong message to farmers

How things are and how things look can be two radically different things.

But managing the way things look to people is a critical skill for a government engaged in bringing about change.

And the optics following the introduction of a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural assets worth over £1m, introduced in last month’s Budget, are terrible.

It doesn’t matter how many Treasury number-crunchers line up to tell the rural community that the change will affect just a small number of farming families, the message could not be any clearer to those affected.

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Stop bashing the landowners
Blog Jake Newman Blog Jake Newman

Stop bashing the landowners

With so much asked of them, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to suggest modern landowners should be afforded some respect – admiration even.

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